Puh-lease Say "Please"

There are two words you can say with ease; one is "thank you." The other is "please."

This must have been one of my mom's lessons for her kindergartners. But it wasn't until I entered the working world as an lowly PR intern that I truly appreciated the simplest of courtesies.

The manners we learned as children, still apply today.

It helps to be remind myself sometimes.

Pencil In Some Thanks

We should count our blessings every day. But who can remember to do that?

If you sit at a desk all day like I do, then you live and die by your calendar. I use my Outlook alarms and alerts to remind me of everything from important meetings to birthdays to to-do-list tasks. And it can help you count your blessings, too.
Set a daily alarm in your Outlook calendar that says “gratitude.”

Mark the time as “free and “private,” because it’s no one’s business. I set mine for 2:00 every day.

When the alert pops up, force yourself to think of one thing you are thankful for – no matter how busy or stressed you are. Then, get back to work.

It's an good way to put life into perspective while you work and build good positive-thinking habits with a mini prayer.

The Real Way to Get Ahead at Work

When it comes to business, it's people that make things happen. And your interactions with them can make you or break you.

Dale Carnegie, the best-selling author of How to Win Friends & Influence People is really on to something. I suppose that's why his book has been a bestseller forever.

Sign up for his free, weekly e-mails to receive a friendly reminder about the most ethical way to get ahead in business - and that's doing your best, acting with integrity, and treating people well.

Here's a little snippet of his genius. Think of how you can apply this to your work:

Become a Friendlier Person by Dale Carnegie
1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
4. Become genuinely interested in other people.
5. Smile.
6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most
important sound in any language.
7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
9. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Learn more here.

What's Your Best Price?

Did you know that four simple words can save you money: what's your best price.

That's the thing about the current economic environment. Even retailers are willing to cut you a deal, if you ask.

My dad is the king at this. He can wheel and deal to finagle the best price out of anyone, most recently the store manager at Bed Bath and Beyond. The box was a little banged up, so he asked for a discount. And he got it.

Granted, you might have the store clerk rolling their eyes at you, but who cares? You deserve a fair deal--no, a better than fair deal.

So, the next time find a flaw in something you like, but want to buy it anyway, ask for their best price. If the clerk tells you they can't, ask her to ask the manager. They'll usually say yes.

And it doesn't just apply to shopping. Negotiating is an important in your career as well.

They say that the reason the women typically get paid less than men is not because of the glass ceiling. It's simply because we don't ask for more. I believe it, and it pisses me off.

Always be fair, but never sell yourself short. For more on how to negotiate, see this article.

Be Nice to Interns

My college internship was a terrible experience!

My classes had prepared me for the job, but nothing had prepared me for office politics and the harsh, real-world dynamics of the professional environment. So, I take partial responsibility for the traumatic summer of my first real, full-time employment, simply because I was so green.

Still, I must admit that I learned a lot that summer, and now that I've worked more than seven years as a professional, I've learned a lot about what I should and shouldn't have done as an intern. Maybe you can learn from my mistakes.

Always have a pen and paper in hand. Be ready to take notes. Lots of notes. Write down everything, even if you don't think you'll forget. If nothing else, you'll appear very diligent.

Better to be quiet, and have people think you're an idiot, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. I can't take credit for the phrase, but I've been saved by that adage on more than one occasion. And as an intern, you don't know what you don't know, so before speaking up in a meeting, make absolutely certain that you fully understand the topic of discussion.

Ask questions in private. One-on-one with your supervisor is best. If you're in a meeting and don't fully understand, it's best to take very good notes, and ask for clarification later.

Be on time. Better yet, be 10 minutes early for everything. It doesn't hurt if you work through lunch every now and then either.

Never make them ask you more than once. Strive to work ahead of people's expectations. Keep a to-do list, and don't forget to do anything that they've tasked you with. If your deadline is tomorrow, finish it today.

Make friends with the secretary. These nice ladies can have a lot of pull around the office. The same rule applies to the security guard, IT guys, facilities staff/janitors, etc. You never know when you'll need a favor, and these people will be just the ones to help you out. Start by smiling and saying "good morning." (These friends have helped me countless times.)

Double check your work. Before you turn in an assignment, double/triple checke for spelling/grammatical errors, misspelled names, miscalculations, typos, etc. Everything should look perfect because your version of "perfect" is your boss' version of "satisfactory." After you've worked a few years, you'll see what I mean.

Predict what questions your boss will ask. And be prepared to answer them. This is important when doing any kind of research on a topic. Know the answers to who, what, when, where, how & why. And if you don't know the answer to the question ...

Say "I'll find out." Instead of "I donno."

I wish I had known these things when I began my career. It would have save me a lot of grief.

As for my internship, I feel vindicated.

About five years after my internship, my resume somehow made to the desk of the president of the agency where I interned. She sent a recruiter to invite me to interview for the vice president position. I politely declined.

So, one day when you're the big wig, be nice to interns! They just might be your boss one day.

It's a Lunch Purse

My BFF at work, carries food in what she calls a "lunch purse." You might laugh, but after seeing it, I think you'll agree that the cute brown and pink damask is far above any lunch box you've ever seen.

Bringing your lunch to work or school is a smart way to save money and eat healthy.

Here's a few funky lunch purses that I liked at ThePolkaDotAlley.com. You can even add your monogram:

Food Bribery

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and I take that a step further to say that the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach.

That’s why I proudly declare that I am not above bribing people with food, especially coworkers.

Now, I'm not talking about doing anything unethical, but when it comes to getting people to do their jobs and maybe a little somethin' extra, I’ve used tasty treats to get things done around the office more than once. And I encourage you to do the same.

I learned this trick from a former boss of mine, a marketing exec, who - after hearing my complaints that the graphic design team was unresponsive - said, “Go get them some bagels.”

I did, and before they could even take a bite of the cream cheese-coated carb, the design team gleefully surrounded me, each one giving me an enthusiastic update on their part in the project.

Looking back, it just might have been one of the most profound professional lessons I’ve ever had; a little thoughtfulness goes a long way.